DOCSLIB.ORG

Nuisance Wildlife Education and Prevention Plan for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Nuisance Wildlife Education and Prevention Plan for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory DOCUMENT AVAILABILITY Reports produced after January 1, 1996, are generally available free via the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Information Bridge. Web site http://www.osti.gov/bridge Reports produced before January 1, 1996, may be purchased by members of the public from the following source. National Technical Information Service 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22161 Telephone 703-605-6000 (1-800-553-6847) TDD 703-487-4639 Fax 703-605-6900 E-mail [email protected] Web site http://www.ntis.gov/support/ordernowabout.htm Reports are available to DOE employees, DOE contractors, Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDE) representatives, and International Nuclear Information System (INIS) representatives from the following source. Office of Scientific and Technical Information P.O. Box 62 Oak Ridge, TN 37831 Telephone 865-576-8401 Fax 865-576-5728 E-mail [email protected] Web site http://www.osti.gov/contact.html This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. ORNL/TM-2006/154 NUISANCE WILDLIFE EDUCATION AND PREVENTION PLAN FOR THE OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY Neil R. Giffen Environmental Sciences Division March 2007 Prepared by OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY P.O. Box 2008 Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6283 managed by UT-BATTELLE, LLC for the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY under contract DE-AC05-00OR2272 CONTENTS ACRONYMS ......................................................................................................................................... v EXECUTIVE SUMMARY..................................................................................................................vii 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 1 2. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ............................................................................................... 1 2.1 OAK RIDGE RESERVATION WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR.............. 1 2.2 TENNESSEE WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY WILDLIFE MANAGER................... 1 2.3 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, WILDLIFE SERVICES.......... 1 2.4 FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS....................................................................................... 1 2.5 ORNL NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGER.................................................................... 2 3. GENERAL PROTOCOL FOR REDUCING NUISANCE WILDLIFE PROBLEMS ................... 2 4. SPECIES-SPECIFIC NUISANCE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT................................................. 3 4.1 MAMMALS........................................................................................................................... 3 4.1.1 Raccoons ................................................................................................................... 3 4.1.2 Skunks....................................................................................................................... 4 4.1.3 Opossums.................................................................................................................. 6 4.1.4 Woodchucks (Groundhogs) ...................................................................................... 7 4.1.5 Gray Squirrels ........................................................................................................... 8 4.1.6 Bats ........................................................................................................................... 9 4.1.7 Rats and Mice.......................................................................................................... 10 4.1.8 Beavers and Muskrats ............................................................................................. 12 4.2 BIRDS.................................................................................................................................. 13 4.2.1 Vultures................................................................................................................... 13 4.2.2 Canada Geese.......................................................................................................... 14 4.2.3 Swallows ................................................................................................................. 16 4.2.4 European Starlings and House Sparrows ................................................................ 17 4.2.5 House Finch ............................................................................................................ 19 4.2.6 Pigeon (Rock Pigeon) ............................................................................................. 20 4.2.7 Other Birds.............................................................................................................. 21 4.3 SNAKES .............................................................................................................................. 23 4.4 INSECTS ............................................................................................................................. 24 4.4.1 Fire Ants.................................................................................................................. 24 4.4.2 Paper Wasps, Bald-faced Hornets, and Yellowjackets ........................................... 25 4.4.3 Mud Daubers........................................................................................................... 28 5. REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................. 29 iii ACRONYMS APHIS Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service F&O facilities and operations HPS hantavirus pulmonary syndrome ORNL Oak Ridge National Laboratory ORR Oak Ridge Reservation TWRA Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency USDA United States Department of Agriculture USFWS U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service WS Wildlife Services v EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This document outlines a plan for management of nuisance wildlife at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Nuisance wildlife management includes wildlife population control through hunting, trapping, removal, and habitat manipulation; wildlife damage control; and law enforcement. This plan covers the following subjects: (1) roles and responsibilities of individuals, groups, and agencies; (2) the general protocol for reducing nuisance wildlife problems; and (3) species-specific methodologies for resolving nuisance wildlife management issues for mammals, birds, snakes, and insects. Achievement of the objectives of this plan will be a joint effort between the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA); U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)–Wildlife Services (WS); and ORNL through agreements between TWRA and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE); DOE and UT-Battelle, LLC; and DOE and USDA, APHIS–WS. vii 1. INTRODUCTION The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) property supports more than 275 wildlife species (i.e., birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians). The activities of the majority of these species do not result in any conflicts with people. However, certain species cause nuisance problems. These species tend to be those that are more adaptable to the urban/suburban environment. Human/wildlife interactions can cause health and safety concerns that must be remedied using wildlife management tools, changes in human behavior, and institutional controls. The chosen remedy is dependent upon the species involved and the circumstances. Particular wildlife species, such as Canada geese, pigeons, raccoons, skunks, opossums, woodchucks (groundhogs), bats, fire ants, and a variety of snakes, present nuisance issues on a regular basis. Other species cause only occasional concerns. These latter species tend to be those that only periodically venture into areas with human activity. This plan outlines the types of persistent nuisance problems that occur at ORNL and presents information on dealing with these concerns and resolving issues on a long-term basis. The following information describes roles and responsibilities related to the ORNL area. 2. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 2.1 OAK RIDGE RESERVATION WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR The Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) Wildlife Management Coordinator provides advice and facilitates the resolution of nuisance wildlife management concerns at the Department of Energy facilities and for the ORR land area. Neil Giffen of the ORNL Environmental Sciences Division is the ORR Wildlife Management Coordinator. 2.2 TENNESSEE WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY WILDLIFE MANAGER The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) wildlife manager responds to nuisance wildlife problems on an as-needed basis by providing advice, supplying traps, and picking up trapped animals for removal. TWRA’s general duties
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Field Checklist (PDF)
    Surf Scoter Marbled Godwit OWLS (Strigidae) Common Raven White-winged Scoter Ruddy Turnstone Eastern Screech Owl CHICKADEES (Paridae) Common Goldeneye Red Knot Great Horned Owl Black-capped Chickadee Barrow’s Goldeneye Sanderling Snowy Owl Boreal Chickadee Bufflehead Semipalmated Sandpiper Northern Hawk-Owl Tufted Titmouse Hooded Merganser Western Sandpiper Barred Owl NUTHATCHES (Sittidae) Common Merganser Least Sandpiper Great Gray Owl Red-breasted Nuthatch Red-breasted Merganser White-rumped Sandpiper Long-eared Owl White-breasted Nuthatch Ruddy Duck Baird’s Sandpiper Short-eared Owl CREEPERS (Certhiidae) VULTURES (Cathartidae) Pectoral Sandpiper Northern Saw-Whet Owl Brown Creeper Turkey Vulture Purple Sandpiper NIGHTJARS (Caprimulgidae) WRENS (Troglodytidae) HAWKS & EAGLES (Accipitridae) Dunlin Common Nighthawk Carolina Wren Osprey Stilt Sandpiper Whip-poor-will House Wren Bald Eagle Buff-breasted Sandpiper SWIFTS (Apodidae) Winter Wren Northern Harrier Ruff Chimney Swift Marsh Wren Sharp-shinned Hawk Short-billed Dowitcher HUMMINGBIRDS (Trochilidae) THRUSHES (Muscicapidae) Cooper’s Hawk Wilson’s Snipe Ruby-throated Hummingbird Golden-crowned Kinglet Northern Goshawk American Woodcock KINGFISHERS (Alcedinidae) Ruby-crowned Kinglet Red-shouldered Hawk Wilson’s Phalarope Belted Kingfisher Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Broad-winged Hawk Red-necked Phalarope WOODPECKERS (Picidae) Eastern Bluebird Red-tailed Hawk Red Phalarope Red-headed Woodpecker Veery Rough-legged Hawk GULLS & TERNS (Laridae) Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Gray-cheeked Thrush Golden
    [Show full text]
  • A Nesting of the Carolina Wren
    September194X Vol. 60, No. 3 THE WILSON BULLETIN 139 A NESTING OF THE CAROLINA WREN BY MARGARET M. NICE AND RUTH H. THOMAS1 HE Carolina Wren, Thryothorus ludovicianus, charming, conspicu- T ous, and widely distributed as it is throughout southeastern United States? has been much neglected by life-history students. And this in spite of the fact that it often leaves its characteristic woods habitat to nest about buildings and even on porches. In 1946 we were able to watch one nesting of this species from the arrival of the female to the leaving of the young. The male, which had been banded March 27, 1941, near North Little Rock, Arkansas, had lost a mate in late March 1946. On April 18 we noted him bringing three wisps of.grass and placing them under the eaves of the sleeping porch. (Typically, in Ruth Thomas’ experi- ence, a male does not build until mated.) On April 19 we first saw his new mate, an unbanded bird. BUILDING THE NEST In the afternoon of April 19, the new female came onto the porch, then flew to the base of a nearby oak; the male suddenly dropped down from his perch, hitting her and giving a loud song; she answered with the typical %creech” of the female Carolina. Later we discovered them nest-hunting in a shed to the south; we removed the grape bas- kets that were stored there and hung one (partially closed with a shingle) on the sleeping porch. The next morning (April 20)) at 7: 55, both came to the porch; they entered the basket, gave little notes, then left.
    [Show full text]
  • Carolina Wren Thryothorus Ludovicianus
    Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus Folk Name: Mocking Wren, Change Bird Status: Resident Abundance: Very Common Habitat: Woodlands, overgrown fields, field edges, residential areas The Carolina Wren is one of our best known and most beloved birds. Most Carolinians know this perky resident wren when they see it and often, when they hear it as well. Its tea kettle, tea kettle, tea kettle, or freedom, freedom, freedom call, is a familiar part of everyday life around most homes and neighborhoods in this part of the South. In fact, the Carolina Wren was so popular in North and South Carolina that it was nominated to be State Bird in both states, and it actually won—twice in South Carolina. In North Carolina, the Carolina Wren was a leading contender for State Bird designation in 1943. Several organizations recommended that it be selected to represent the state. Statesville pharmacist Maurice they provide an excellent way for children to learn about Stimson published an article in support of the Carolina the nesting process. These birds are seldom frightened Wren, writing: away when people are careful about observing their eggs and young. The Carolina Wren, a reddish brown bird with buff Virtually every written summary of the Carolina Wren colored breast and a distinct white line through includes examples of the many unique locations where the eye. The largest, handsomest, lightest in color nests have been found. In essence, these birds will nest most widely distributed best known and universally almost anywhere. Free-roaming cats and black rat snakes loved of all the Wren family to be found in North are possibly their biggest concern.
    [Show full text]
  • Observations at a Carolina Wren Nest from Which Brown-Headed Cowbirds Fledged
    OBSERVATIONS AT A CAROLINA WREN NEST FROM WHICH BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS FLEDGED DOROTHY HOBSON LUTHER Records of Carolina Wrens (Thryothorus Zudovicianus) fledging Brown- headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) are rare, with only one instance reported among a dozen or so known parasitized nests (Friedmann, 1963:39). Most of the evidence that this species successfully hosts cowbirds is circumstantial and includes infrequent reports of fledgling cowbirds being fed by wrens. In view of this lack of data, I present my detailed observations of a banded pair of these wrens, which successfully fledged three cowbirds. The observa- tions were made at our 1Zacre bird sanctuary near the Pine Hills Nature Preserve, Shades State Park, in Montgomery County, Indiana. I spent about 35 hours at the task, observing without a blind 18 feet from the nest. The wrens ’ nest was in a shallow, cardboard fruit basket (12 X 8 X 4 inches), suspended six feet above ground beneath the broad eaves of a flat- roofed building. The previous year I banded the wrens as young of the year, the female on 22 May, the male on 9 September. In 1972 I retrapped them and added color bands, later sexing them by their behavior. On 7 June these inexperienced wrens completed their nest, leaving an unusually large opening above the rim of the basket, which faced outward in full view, a boon to the cowbirds and to me as well. Between 7 and 17 June four Carolina Wren eggs and three Brown-headed Cowbird eggs were laid in the nest, but a wren egg was probably removed by a cowbird.
    [Show full text]
  • What Kind of Bird Is That... When Trying to Identify a Bird, the First Things to Look for Are Location and Behavior
    What kind of bird is that... When trying to identify a bird, the first things to look for are location and behavior. Is the bird up high making noise, in the air? or on the ground digging in leaves? Next, think about size and shape. Is it big like a crow, or small like a sparrow? Does it Birds that spend a lot of time in the air use their strong eyesight to have pointy wings, or a long tail? Finally, you can use field marks to identify birds- flip to the back panel to discover how! find food. Hawks, crows and vultures can usually be found perched or circling up high as they search for their next meal. Scan the sky over fields and through openings in the trees. Are there any large birds in the trees? flying overhead? _____ Are they flapping or gliding? ____________ Almost all the birds of the Blue Ridge use trees and shrubs for food, shelter, or nesting. Woodpeckers and chickadees make their nests in the cavities of trees and pick insects from the bark. Trees can provide seeds and berries for birds such as cardinals and goldfinches to eat. Look into the trees. How many different birds can you find? ____ What parts of the tree are the birds using? ____________________ Turkey Vulture Red-tailed Hawk Cathartes aura Buteo jamaicensis Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis American Goldfinch American Crow Carduelis tristis Corvus brachyrhynchos Northern Cardinal Downy Woodpecker Cardinalis cardinalis Picoides pubescens making noise? Birds make all kinds of noises - some sing to attract a mate, while on the ground? others will call attention to food, danger or territory.
    [Show full text]
  • The Regions of Maine MAINE the Maine Beaches Long Sand Beaches and the Most Forested State in America Amusements
    the Regions of Maine MAINE The Maine Beaches Long sand beaches and The most forested state in America amusements. Notable birds: Piping Plover, Least Tern, also has one of the longest Harlequin Duck, and Upland coastlines and hundreds of Sandpiper. Aroostook County lakes and mountains. Greater Portland The birds like the variety. and Casco Bay Home of Maine’s largest city So will you. and Scarborough Marsh. Notable birds: Roseate Tern and Sharp-tailed Sparrow. Midcoast Region Extraordinary state parks, islands, and sailing. Notable birds: Atlantic Puffin and Roseate Tern. Downeast and Acadia Land of Acadia National Park, national wildlife refuges and state parks. Notable birds: Atlantic Puffin, Razorbill, and The Maine Highlands Spruce Grouse. Maine Lakes and Mountains Ski country, waterfalls, scenic nature and solitude. Notable birds: Common Loon, Kennebec & Philadelphia Vireo, and Moose River Downeast Boreal Chickadee. Valleys and Acadia Maine Lakes Kennebec & and Mountains Moose River Valleys Great hiking, white-water rafting and the Old Canada Road scenic byway. Notable birds: Warbler, Gray Jay, Crossbill, and Bicknell’s Thrush. The Maine Highlands Site of Moosehead Lake and Midcoast Mt. Katahdin in Baxter State Region Park. Notable birds: Spruce Grouse, and Black-backed Woodpecker. Greater Portland and Casco Bay w. e. Aroostook County Rich Acadian culture, expansive agriculture and A rich landscape and s. rivers. Notable birds: Three- cultural heritage forged The Maine Beaches toed Woodpecker, Pine by the forces of nature. Grossbeak, and Crossbill. 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Scale of Miles Contents maine Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Philadelphia Vireo, Gray Jay, Boreal Chickadee, Bicknell’s Thrush, and a variety of warblers.
    [Show full text]
  • Resource Brief Birds
    National Park Service George Washington Memorial U.S. Department of the Interior Parkway Birds Resource Brief Regional Bird Monitoring Common Grackle Since 2007, the National Capital Region Network (NCRN) Inventory & Monitoring program has .63 monitored birds at approximately 385 forest plots throughout the region. Birds are monitored at Carolina Wren each plot twice every summer for a total of 770 visits a year. Because this long-term monitoring .68 program occurs within forest habitats, it only accounts for bird species found in forests. American Top 10 Most Common Birds at GW Memorial Parkway Goldfinch .74 The pictures of birds stacked on the left side of this page represent the most commonly found birds in George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP) forests. The largest picture in the Blue-gray stack, the Northern Cardinal, represents the species with the highest density of birds per hect- Gnatcatcher .76 are (ha) of forest. There are 1.92 Northern Cardinals per hectare (although we don’t actually have fractions of birds). Eastern Tufted The smaller the image, the lower the density rate and the less likely you are to find that spe- Titmouse .84 cies of bird. That means you’re about twice as likely to find a cardinal as the Brown-headed Cowbird (.89 birds/ha). Red-eyed What’s impressive about this list is that it includes a species of conservation concern—the Vireo Carolina Wren. That means Carolina Wrens that are highly dependent on this region for .84 global survival, are finding valuable habitat at GWMP. The Carolina Wren framed in red is a “stewardship species.” For a full list of GWMP’s forest bird species, see reverse.
    [Show full text]
  • Carolina Wren (Thryothorus Ludovicanianus) Michael J
    Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicanianus) Michael J. Hamas Kensington Metro Park, Oakland Co. MI. November, 2008 © Willie McHale (Click to view a comparison of Atlas I to II) Even in Michigan, nothing could be finer than Wisconsin (Cutright 2006) and Michigan, Carolina Wrens are concentrated in the three to hear the clear ringing song of a Carolina southernmost tiers of counties. In neighboring Wren in the morning, particularly after a harsh Ontario, birds are found south of the Canadian winter. Although they are resident species Shield, especially near the shorelines of the throughout their range, Carolina Wrens are lower Great Lakes (Read 2007). vulnerable to extreme periods of cold but can survive if they find adequate food (Leberman Carolina Wrens’ sedentary behavior is 1976, Robbins et al. 1986). Sometimes northern illustrated by their long term occupancy of populations decline markedly after severe townships in the SLP. Only eight townships in winters, but gradually increasing winter which birds occurred during MBBA I were temperatures over the last century may be vacant during MBBA II. Dispersal appears to be responsible for the northward range expansion through river valleys (Smith 2008) where seen in the mid-1900s (Haggerty and Morton bottomland habitat may provide access to more 1995). It is also likely that fragmentation, reliable food resources, particularly during clearing of forests, and increased bird feeding winter months. In addition, expansion of the activity have contributed to range expansion of species may be related to mild winters and the species as well as its ability to become feeders (Orton 1998). Since MBBA I, Carolina established farther north.
    [Show full text]
  • Seasonal Territoriality in the Carolina Wren, Thryothorus Ludovicianus, to Visual and Vocal Stimuli
    East Tennessee State University Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University Electronic Theses and Dissertations Student Works 8-2006 Seasonal Territoriality in the Carolina Wren, Thryothorus ludovicianus, to Visual and Vocal Stimuli. Mark Allen Dunaway East Tennessee State University Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.etsu.edu/etd Part of the Ornithology Commons Recommended Citation Dunaway, Mark Allen, "Seasonal Territoriality in the Carolina Wren, Thryothorus ludovicianus, to Visual and Vocal Stimuli." (2006). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 2208. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/2208 This Thesis - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Works at Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Seasonal Territoriality in the Carolina Wren, Thryothorus ludovicianus, to Visual and Vocal Stimuli _____________________ A thesis presented to the faculty of the Department of Biological Sciences East Tennessee State University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Science in Biology _____________________ by Mark A. Dunaway August, 2006 _____________________ Fred. J. Alsop, III, Chair Thomas F. Laughlin John H. Kalbfleisch Keywords: Carolina Wren, Playback, Vocalization, Territorial, Decoy ABSTRACT Seasonal Territoriality in the Carolina Wren, Thryothorus ludovicianus, to Visual and Vocal Stimuli by Mark A. Dunaway Carolina Wrens, Thryothorus ludovicianus, are permanent residents throughout their range. They form pair bonds at a young age, maintain these bonds for multiple years, and defend feeding/breeding territories year round. Male Carolina Wrens use songs in territorial defense and have been shown to countersing regularly to both neighbors and intruders.
    [Show full text]
  • Breeding Birds Survey at Carriage Hill Metropark
    Breeding Birds Survey at Carriage Hill MetroPark Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Canada Goose Branta canadensis American Kestrel Falco sparverius Coopers Hawk Accipiter cooperii Red-Tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicencis Red Shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus Great-Horned Owl Bubo Virginianus Screech Owl Otus asio Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Green Heron Butorides virescens Mallard Anas platyrhnchos American Woodcock Philohela minor Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Bank Swallow Riparia riparia Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis Ruby Throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus Downy Woodpecker Dryobates pubescens Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus Eastern Wood Peewee Contopus virens Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitis Acadian Flycatcher Empidonax virescens Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii White Eyed Vireo Vireo griseus Red Eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor White breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis Carolina Wren Thyrothorus ludovicianus House Wren Troglodytes aedon Blue Gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina American Robin Turdus migratorius Grey Catbird Dumetella carolinensis Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum
    [Show full text]
  • Carolina Wren Thryothorus Ludovicianus
    Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus The first Vermont breeding record for the Carolina Wren was established during the Atlas Project. The major habitat require­ ments of this southern species are thick, often vine-covered, shrubbery and brush, and nesting cavities. In eastern Texas, Con­ ner et al. (1983) found that the species was adversely affected by high densities of pole­ sized trees and by the presence of large numbers of pines; they believed that in­ are white with reddish brown spotting, and creased canopy shading led to low shrub number from 4 to 6 per clutch. An average densities, suggesting that Carolina Wrens of 4.7 eggs was recorded for 18 New York select areas with relatively open canopies. State clutches (Bull 1974). Egg dates for Graber and Graber (1979) noted that birds New York State range from the first week of with southern affinities in southern Illinois April to the first week of August (Bull 1974). survive harsh winter conditions better in The incubation period lasts about 14 days, urban situations. Carolina Wrens are seden­ and the young remain in the nest for an­ tary and highly susceptible to the delete­ other 14 days (Nice and Thomas 1948). rious effects of severe winters; for these In the southern U.S., Carolina Wrens are reasons, it is logical that most records for double-brooded and perhaps triple-brooded. this species in Vermont, where winters are Before the Atlas Project, the Carolina traditionally harsh, are from residential Wren was not known to breed in Vermont areas having thick ornamental shrubs for and was considered a vagrant from southern cover and fruit, as well as suet feeders.
    [Show full text]
  • Maine Breeding Bird Safe Dates
    Maine Breeding Bird Safe Dates The Safe Dates delineate the time period in Maine when most migrants are not present and individuals present in appropriate breeding habitat may be nesting. For many species, breeding occurs outside of these dates, but migrant individuals may also be present. Safe dates offer only general guidance and your observations take prec- edence over any dates given in this Appendix. Remember that spring can be early or late in a given year and that breeding may begin weeks earlier in southern Maine than in northern Maine. Species Safe Dates Species Safe Dates Alder Flycatcher 6/1 - 7/25 Blue Jay 5/25 - 8/15 Am Three-toed Woodpecker 5/1 - 7/25 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 5/20 - 8/5 American Bittern 5/1 - 7/25 Blue-headed Vireo 5/25 - 8/1 American Black Duck 5/5 - 8/1 Blue-winged Teal 5/25 - 8/1 American Coot 5/15 - 8/5 Blue-winged Warbler 6/1 - 8/1 American Crow 4/15 - 7/15 Bobolink 6/1 - 7/25 American Goldfinch 6/5 - 9/1 Bonaparte’s Gull 6/1 - 7/20 American Kestrel 5/25 - 7/25 Boreal Chickadee 5/15 - 8/1 American Oystercatcher 5/25 - 8/1 Boreal Owl 4/15 - 8/1 American Pipit 6/1 - 8/15 Brewster's Warbler (hybrid) 6/1 - 8/1 American Redstart 6/1 - 8/1 Broad-winged Hawk 6/1 - 7/25 American Robin 5/10 - 8/1 Brown Creeper 5/15 - 8/10 American Wigeon 5/25 - 8/1 Brown Thrasher 5/20 - 8/10 American Woodcock 4/15 - 7/25 Brown-headed Cowbird 5/15 - 7/25 Arctic Tern 6/1 - 7/25 Bufflehead 6/10 - 8/1 Atlantic Puffin 5/1 - 8/1 Canada Goose 4/25 - 8/1 Bald Eagle 3/16 - 7/31 Canada Warbler 6/5 - 8/1 Baltimore Oriole 6/1 - 7/20 Cape May
    [Show full text]